🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 620, 2023

🎗️Day 620 that 53 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivity🎗️

There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!

“I’ve never met them,
But I miss them.
I’ve never met them,
but I think of them every second.
I’ve never met them,
but they are my family.
BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.

#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope

There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!
‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements

6:45pm - north - Air Force shoots down drone over Golan Heights
Another suspected drone “from the east” was shot down by the Israeli Air Force a short while ago, over the Golan Heights, the IDF says.
Sirens had sounded in several towns in the area.
It is at least the fifth drone shot down by the IAF today.
7:50pm yesterday - red alert north - Ballistic missile - successfully intercepted but some falling shrapnel caused some fires in the north. No reports of injuries.
9:55pm yesterday - North - drone intrusion - Golan and Galilee regions
12:25am - country wide alert of ballistic missiles launched from Iran
2:25am - north - drone intrusion
*3:35am- country wide alert of ballistic missiles launched from Iran

A soldier stands next to a remnant of an Iranian missile in the city of Safed on June 16, 2025. (David Cohen/Flash90)

The ALEH rehabilitative campus in Bnei Brak, devastated by an Iranian missile, June 16, 2025 (Eliezer Feinstein / ALEH)

7:55am - north - drone intrusion - Golan Heights
8:45am - country wide alert- ballistic missiles from Iran- some direct hits in 3 separate areas including Herzlia
Empty bus in bus depot

Israeli security forces inspect a site hit by a missile launched from Iran in central Israel on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP/Baz Ratner)

Shrapnel near a bus

Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missiles on June 17, 2025. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)

Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missiles on June 17, 2025. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)
11:00am- North - drone intrusion- Golan Heights

Around 30 drones shot down overnight, IDF says
Overnight, the Israeli Air Force shot down some 30 drones launched at Israel, all apparently from Iran, the military says.

Many of the drones were intercepted beyond Israel’s borders. Several were shot down over the Golan Heights, according to the military.
The military releases footage of one of the interceptions by an IAF helicopter. video

The army announced the death of a soldier killed in battle in south Gaza. Reserve Captain Tal Movshovitz, 28 from Reut. He was a platoon commander and killed by an IED in a building that he entered.

MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION!

Second soldier killed in Gaza explosive attack in two days, IDF says

Staff Sgt. Naveh Leshem, 20, killed in Khan Younis after IED hit armored vehicle; officer and three others seriously wounded; follows similar fatal attack on officer in same sector

MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION!

The IDF confirmed Tuesday morning that Staff Sgt. Naveh Leshem, 20, from Nokdim, was killed Monday in Khan Younis, Gaza, in what appears to have been an improvised explosive device (IED) attack by Hamas terrorists. Leshem served in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion.

According to initial reports, the explosive was attached to a Namer armored personnel carrier. Several other soldiers were wounded in the incident, including one officer and three additional troops from the same battalion who are in serious condition. Three more are listed in moderate condition, and others suffered light injuries. All were evacuated to hospitals, and their families have been notified.

Hostage Updates

Until the last hostage

Commander who rescued hostage bodies: Retrieving hostages is 'moral, existential responsibility' https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-857916?utm_source=jpost.app.apple&utm_medium=share

Official says Israel believes Iran strikes could help bring about hostage deal with Hamas
A poster in support of the hostages held in Gaza is damaged in an Iranian missile strike on Rehovot, June 15, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Israel believes that its strikes against Iran will help in talks with Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
“The backing for Hamas will not be as strong,” says the official. “Hamas will feel compelled to move forward with an agreement.”
Israel proposed a deal in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages on the first day of a 60-day ceasefire, and two more a month later, according to the official. link
Read my blog on my opinion about the impact of the war with Iran and a Hostage deal

Regional sources: 'Significant progress' toward hostage deal and end of Gaza war
Regional sources said there is "most significant progress" toward a hostage deal, an agreement in the Strip and ending the war in Gaza. "Both sides have shown flexibility, but fear the implications of the confrontation with Iran," one of them said, "The Israeli delegation is not yet departing for Doha for fear it would slow down negotiations - not accelerate them." Official American sources have told hostages' families in recent days that there are "very positive signs of a breakthrough." link Statements like this, unfortunately have no basis in fact. They are always made as statements but they are more like hopeful wishes and to try to give a push through optimism to both the public and the negotiating teams. I wish we could pin some hopes on statements like this but it is not wise to do so.

Parents of hostage Alon Ohel to PM: Israel must ensure Iran orders Hamas to release hostages
Idit and Kobi Ohel, parents of hostage Alon Ohel, released a video addressing the Prime Minister and mediators, saying: "Mr. Prime Minister, in the war with Iran Israel has shown impressive capabilities of sophistication and thinking outside the box. In any agreement with Iran, Israel and the mediators must also neutralize the existential threat to Israel's future, which is the threat of hostages in Gaza." According to them, "Israel and the mediators must ensure that Iran orders its proxy, Hamas, to immediately release the Israeli hostages." link While Alon Ohel's parents demands are justifiable, they have no basis in the geopolitical reality. Hamas has been strongly supported by Iran but that is because of the old saying, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. Iran and Hamas only have their hate and desire to destroy Israel in common, nothing else. They are on opposite sides of Israel - Iran is Shiite and Hamas is rapidly Sunni, Iran is a Muslim country that speaks Persian, so they are not Arabs, Hamas are Arab speaking and part of the Arab world. Iran does not give marching orders to Hamas and never has. Therefore, their ability to 'order' Hamas to release the hostages is zero. The only country that does have influence, limited though it may be, is Qatar and they have tried a lot to pressure but have never pushed to the extreme, unfortunately.

Israel and Iran

'US intelligence contradicts Israel's position: 'Iran was years away from a bomb'
CNN reports that contrary to Israel's assessment that Operation 'With Courage' was necessary to prevent Iran from quickly breaking out to a bomb, US intelligence evaluated differently. According to CNN, US intelligence estimates that "not only is Iran not actively seeking to obtain a nuclear weapon, it is also up to three years away from being able to produce one and deliver it to its target." The report, which relies on several different sources, notes that US intelligence now estimates that "Israel may have only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months." link If this report is true, it strongly emphasizes my claim that this attack was fully politically motivated by Netanyahu in his ongoing War for Political Survival.

Three people killed in overnight strike on Haifa were at Bazan oil refinery

An Iranian ballistic missile that killed three people in Haifa overnight hit the Bazan oil refinery complex in the northern city, which is permitted for publication.

Rescuers had attempted for hours to reach the three missing people, who were buried under rubble during the attack on the northern city. A fire also broke out at the location, complicating rescue operations.

Missile hit on the refinery in Haifa

An Iranian missile attack a night earlier on Haifa caused “localized damage” at the oil facility.

Missile barrage on Haifa yesterday

Mano Maritime deploying two cruise ships to bing back stranded Israelis from Cyprus
Mano Maritime will operate two cruise voyages to help bring back stranded Israelis by sea from Cyprus to Israel in coordination with Israel’s Transportation Ministry.
Mano says in a statement that Israelis will be transferred on the luxury ship Crown Iris, which can carry 2,000 passengers, and will sail from Limassol in Cyprus to Israel.
The first cruise is expected to leave on Wednesday, subject to the security situation and relevant approvals of the defense establishment and other authorities. After arriving in Israel, the ship will return to Limassol for the second voyage.
The ship, operating a 5-star “floating hotel,” will dock in Limassol for a few hours to pick up passengers and then set off for Israel on a voyage that will take about 15 hours. Prices will range from €399 per person to €650. Reservations for the cruise are made through the company’s website only.
The prices take into account the national situation and do not reflect the real cost of the cruise, including the need for special arrangements in Cyprus for passport and security checks and additional costs, Mano says.
Arkia says it’s creating flight schedule for Israelis stranded overseas
Local airline Arkia announces that it is putting together a special repatriation flight schedule from several nearby destinations as well as European cities and New York, to help bring stranded Israelis home.
At this stage, Arkia is working on a schedule of flights from nearby destinations, including: Athens, Larnaca, Rome, Paris and New York. The flights will begin as soon as the security establishment okays them, and will fly seven days a weekincluding Shabbat.
The flights will be go on sale via Arkia’s website only. Passengers who hold a voucher following a flight cancellation will be able to redeem it when making the reservation. Prices for the flights have not yet been determined.
El Al opens registration for return flights for its passengers who were stranded abroad
El Al announces that is opening registration for repatriation flights for its customers whose flights have been canceled and who are stranded abroad since the closure of Israeli airspace.
“At this time, El Al is formulating the list of destinations and the scope of flights that will be allowed to operate under this plan,” El Al says in a statement. “The purpose of the registration is to map the location of our customers in the world, and accordingly build a flight schedule.”
“We emphasize that the order of registration on the site is not important since customers’ priority will be determined by their original flight date,” the airline says.
El Al notes that priority will also be given to “exceptional humanitarian cases, subject to the presentation of appropriate certificates and approval by a medical team on behalf of El Al, and for political and security needs – subject to approvals from relevant state authorities.”
“The rescue flights will be operated in a phased manner, and therefore patience will be required from El Al customers staying abroad,” the airline says. “We recommend that passengers prepare and make accommodation and lodging arrangements.”
Customers for reservations made directly with El Al or through agents need to register in advance via this link.
After registration, an email confirming receipt of the form will be sent within three hours.
“It should be emphasized that this is not an email confirming flight placement,” El Al says. “After registration we will be in touch with our customers with updates via email/SMS, including instructions and flight placements, subject to approval of flight operations from the state.”

Shaken but okay, Israelis pick up pieces at site of Tel Aviv missile strike

The scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage in Tel Aviv, June 16, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)

Buildings three blocks away from the site of an Iranian missile impact in Tel Aviv show signs of damage, including cracked windows. Closer to the impact site, businesses and apartments are largely bombed out. A 15-story high-rise overlooking the impact site over a parking lot is left entirely windowless.

Despite the paucity of safe rooms in the area, only four people were hurt in the attack and treated for light to moderate injuries, Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital reports.

Two buildings were completely destroyed by the blast. Emergency services were still working to clear the rubble early Monday afternoon as officers, soldiers and a large group of curious civilians milled about.

Nearby, a mobile municipality command center is coordinating affected residents’ evacuation to hotels.

As anguished-looking residents wait on the sidewalk with bags and suitcases, one resident with a large black suitcase asks to retrieve valuables from his apartment within the cordoned-off zone, just across from buildings being razed. A security guard tells him that’s impossible until the demolition is over.

“It could take 20 minutes, it could take three hours,” says the guard.

Dorit and Ofer, who live about five buildings down from the fall site, recall hearing a huge boom as they sheltered in the packed community safe room during the attack. Their own apartment escaped relatively okay, they say.

“Some windows broke, walls cracked,” says Dorit. “But it’s not like that,” she adds, pointing across the street to a newly windowless apartment building.

Business owners in the area sweep up glass, taking stock of what remains.

A sex shop, a liquor store and a Russian restaurant are among those that were practically destroyed.

The scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage in Tel Aviv, June 16, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)

“Are you an appraiser?” asks Tzipi, hopefully, as she catches the eye of a Times of Israel reporter.

Tzipi sells cute porcelain pieces about 100 meters (yards) uphill from the impact site. Some of the statuettes broke, and the front window of the shop has shattered. She appears skeptical that insurance will do much good.

“It’s nothing. The important thing is that we’re healthy,” she says. link Iranian missiles are large and carry heavy payloads of hundreds of kilos of explosive material. The explosion radius from impact is about 300 meters/1000 feet and that is the reason that there is so much destruction around every direct hit. The direct hit in Bat Yam caused major damage to 60 buildings with 20 of them needing to be completely razed due to extreme structural damage.

'My grandfather keeps asking about grandma': These are the people killed in Bat Yam missile strike

The Iranian missile strike on Bat Yam killed 8 people, including 90-year-old Bella Ashkenazi, two fathers, and four members of a Ukrainian family; Survivors, some still missing loved ones, recount how a single missile turned multiple families’ lives into tragedy
The first victim to be identified after the Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential building in Bat Yam overnight between Saturday and Sunday was 44-year-old Efrat Saranga. But as rescue operations progressed, the full scale of the tragedy slowly emerged.

Among the dead was 90-year-old Bella Ashkenazi. Her granddaughter, Shani Boana, who was sitting in a shelter in nearby Netanya during the attack, recognized her grandparents' scorched building on television footage. In that instant, dread took hold. Soon after, her fears were confirmed: her grandfather and uncle had been wounded by shrapnel but survived, while her grandmother was killed instantly.

Shani Boana and her late grandmother Bella
(Photo: Private album)

Shani described the horrifying hours that followed. “I had a bad feeling that night,” she said. “Even before the sirens, I brought our passports into the safe room. Around 3:30 a.m., after the launches, I saw the reports and immediately recognized the building.” After a panicked call from the caregiver who lived with her grandparents — screaming that “everyone is dead” — the family learned that Bella's husband, Haim Ashkenazi, 100, and their son had been evacuated to the hospital in light condition, but Bella had not survived.

The couple’s apartment lacked a protected room. Though the building had a communal shelter, Bella, bedridden with dementia, could not be moved. Her husband used a walker. Their son, unwilling to abandon his parents, stayed with them as the missile struck.

Bella, a seamstress by trade, was remembered as endlessly kind, full of humor and deeply devoted to her family. Her daughter Aviva called her “a remarkable woman who gave everything to others,” while Shani recalled a grandmother who never tired of making clothes for her, even as her health declined. “We knew her time was nearing because of her illness,” Shani said, “but none of us imagined it would end this way.”

'We don’t know how to break it to him', Bella and her husband Haim
(Photo: Private album)

The death toll in Bat Yam continued to rise throughout the day. Among the victims were Michael (Miki) Nahum, 61, a father of four, and Meir (Miro) Vaknin, 53, a father of three — both residents of the same building. The two men were killed when the missile struck directly, causing the building’s partial collapse. Tragedy also struck a Ukrainian family that had recently arrived in Israel for medical treatment. Four members of the family — a grandmother in her 50s and her three grandchildren, aged 8, 10, and 15 — were killed in the blast. The children's mother, 31, who is also the daughter of the deceased grandmother and mother of the 8-year-old, remains missing, with search efforts ongoing. The two older children had come to Israel without their own mother, who had stayed behind in Ukraine. The family had sought refuge from one war zone, only to become victims of another.

Michael Nahum, Bella Ashkenazi, Efrat Saranga and Meir (Miro) Vaknin
(Photo: Courtesy of the families)

Following the attack, Ukraine confirmed that five of the casualties were its citizens. Kyiv’s Foreign Ministry announced that it is working with Israeli authorities to arrange for the return of the bodies, while the fifth Ukrainian citizen remains officially listed as missing.

Elsewhere that same night, the Iranian missile strikes also claimed the life of 75-year-old Avraham Cohen in Bnei Brak, after a direct hit on a residential building in the city. LINK

MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION!

Victims suffocated under burning rubble after Iran missile strike on Haifa, officials say Investigators say 3 people killed in Iran’s overnight missile strike on northern city likely trapped in interior room; blast sparked a fire, and victims believed to have suffocated from smoke and suffered fatal heat exposure Three people were killed overnight in Haifa after an Iranian missile struck near a residential building, triggering a fire and partial building collapse, authorities said Monday. According to initial assessments, the victims were sheltering in an interior room believed to be the most secure part of the building when the missile hit. The blast ignited a fire, which spread quickly and caused part of the building to collapse, trapping the occupants beneath the rubble.

Heavy smoke filled the place, and officials said the extreme heat at the scene likely gave the victims little chance of survival. Investigators believe they may have died from smoke inhalation and heat exposure.

The victims' bodies were recovered from the rubble after several hours of searching. Two other people were lightly wounded in the attack.

The IDF had reported earlier that dozens of ballistic missiles were launched from Iran during the night in two separate salvos.

The scene in Haifa

According to The Guardian, the British maritime security firm Ambrey said fires were seen at an energy facility near Haifa after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel. The firm said it reviewed video footage showing Israeli air defenses intercepting the barrage, followed by impacts from two hypersonic missiles.

In a related incident over the weekend, Bazan, the company that operates Haifa’s oil refineries, said one of the earlier Iranian strikes caused limited damage to pipeline infrastructure on site but did not result in injuries.

Direct and deadly missile strikes were also reported overnight in Petah Tikva and Bnei Brak, with additional damage caused by explosions in Tel Aviv.

In Petah Tikva, four people were killed when a missile struck a residential building. According to a preliminary assessment by Home Front Command, the missile—described as particularly heavy—hit the wall separating two fortified security rooms (mamads) in the building, rendering the protective spaces ineffective. Two of the victims were inside one of the rooms that sustained a direct hit. The other two, authorities believe, were outside the protected space—one in the apartment above and another in a neighboring building, both killed by the blast wave.

In Bnei Brak, an 80-year-old man was killed when a missile hit a school. Magen David Adom paramedic David Suissa said, “As we carried out a search through the rubble together with the Home Front Command and other emergency forces, we found the man trapped and unconscious. We assisted in the rescue, but during the medical checks, we were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene.”

Haifa was struck just hours earlier

Shortly before the deadly missile strike, another direct missile hit from Iran was recorded in Haifa, leaving 11 people wounded—a 72-year-old woman in moderate condition suffering from smoke inhalation, six with minor injuries and four who were treated for shock. They were taken to Bnei Zion, Carmel and Rambam hospitals in the city.

The strike caused damage to the local electrical grid, and Israel Electric Corporation crews worked to neutralize safety hazards, including downed power lines.

The street was closed to traffic, and Haifa Municipality opened an evacuation center for affected residents at a nearby school, staffed by welfare and mental health professionals. Meanwhile, municipal crews began clearing damaged cars, removing debris and restoring public areas. “The rapid response by the forces and the discipline of residents saved lives,” Mayor Yona Yahav said. Omer, a resident of a nearby street, shared: “I was in the shelter with my children when suddenly we heard a massive explosion with a strong shockwave. The whole house shook. For a moment, we thought it landed on us. Only after going outside did we realize it struck about 250 meters away. I don't remember ever hearing such a blast.”

Nofar, who lives on a street that was severely damaged, added: “We don’t have a safe room in our home because of objections from the neighbors. Luckily, we weren’t home — we were at my parents’ place. People started calling, saying it was our house that got hit. A neighbor said everything was shattered. You can’t even get close to the house.” link

Haifa oil refinery shut down after sustaining heavy damage in Iran missile strike Bazan Group said in a statement that its power plant, responsible for some steam and electricity production used by the refinery, was significantly damaged; 3 people were killed in the missile strike Israel’s Bazan Group announced Monday evening that all operations at its Haifa Bay refinery and subsidiaries have been shut down following a direct Iranian missile strike very early in the morning. The company confirmed in a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that the attack caused significant damage, including to its on-site power station. Three people were killed in the incident. According to the Energy Ministry, the attack struck a strategic facility and left the power generation unit—critical to steam and electricity production—heavily damaged. The ministry assured the public it is prepared to maintain national fuel supply and estimated that repair work will take about 10 days.

The missile hit caused a building to collapse and sparked a fire that trapped the three victims under the rubble. Thick smoke and extreme heat reportedly left them with little chance of survival. The initial investigation found that the victims likely died from smoke inhalation and severe heat exposure following the deadly barrage. The deceased were residents of Haifa and surrounding areas.

The attack, which had not been publicly disclosed until Energy Minister Eli Cohen’s announcement in the evening, came as a surprise to some in Israel’s defense establishment. It is unclear whether the incident would have become public knowledge had Bazan not been a publicly traded company legally obligated to report material events.

Damage at Bazan Power Plant

In its official statement, Bazan said: “As a result of the strike on the Bazan Group compound, the power station responsible for part of the steam and electricity production for the group’s facilities was significantly damaged. Additional damages occurred, and at this time all refinery operations and subsidiary facilities have been shut down.” Bazan added that it is working with the Israel Electric Corporation, which responded immediately to assist in restoring power to the site, and that it is currently assessing the full scope of the damage. The company also expressed condolences to the families of the victims

Cohen visited the blast site along with Bazan’s CEO and the head of the Electric Corporation, Meir Spiegler. Cohen said the energy sector will continue to provide for the country’s fuel needs during the recovery period.

Lihi Shahar, director of the Haifa Bay Environmental Protection Union, said the incident highlights long-standing concerns. “This was a known scenario. Just a day earlier, we saw damage and Bazan reported it to the stock exchange. Nationally, this raises serious questions about Israel’s energy security,” she said.

Shahar criticized past claims by Bazan that wartime conditions proved the facility must remain operational. “Two or three missiles and that theory collapsed. Now we must ask: what are the alternatives? The Energy Ministry and the National Emergency Authority need to answer that,” she said.

“We've been warning for years that there’s no airtight protection," Shahar added. "Back in 2018, we described this scenario—war with Iran, missile strikes, and now Bazan is offline. What now?” link

Food packaging for the needy in Herzliya, assistance in preparing emergency equipment in Petah Tikva | Volunteering in emergency

Where to volunteer in a time of emergency: The association "Gesher Hatmicha Shel Yisrael" ("The Support Bridge of Israel") in Petah Tikva is looking for volunteers to assist in preparing emergency equipment. The "Herzliya Volunteers" association needs help in packaging and distributing food baskets for needy families. The association "Chasdei Irit" in the youth village Givat Washington needs assistance in packing food for 500 needy families. The organization "Lev Chabad" in Haifa is looking for vehicle owners to operate kindness carts at Rambam Medical Center, and more emergency volunteering opportunities are available on the "Ruach Tova" association's website, from the Arison Group.

Following Operation "Am K'lavi" and the Iranian fire at Israel, charity and volunteer organizations across the country are recruiting additional forces to assist in emergency situations. From associations that provide food for the needy to organizations preparing emergency equipment – the call is one: every hand is needed.

The "Ruach Tova" association, from the Arison Group, gathers in one website the variety of volunteering options in Israel and helps you find personally tailored volunteering. The association connects private volunteers and business company volunteers to places that need them, and is in contact with thousands of associations and all the local authorities in order to encourage volunteering in Israel.

Center

Who? Association "Gesher Hatmicha Shel Yisrael" – In the last three months, the association has been working in cooperation with Home Front Command, the local government authority, and authorities throughout Israel to establish a network of assistance and security for emergencies.

Where? Petah Tikva.

What are they looking for? Individual and group volunteers (no age limit), to take part in the association’s assistance network. The volunteering includes arriving at the logistics center, and assisting in preparing the equipment and aid that will go out to the authorities.

When? The volunteering is one-time or long-term, and takes place on various days between the hours of 9:00–15:00.

To register: On the website

Who? Organization "Pitchon Lev" – The organization works to bring families and youth out of the poverty cycle in Israel, and provides assistance to the needy. The organization helps more than 250,000 people every year without distinction of gender, religion, race, origin or nationality.

Where? Rishon LeZion and Karmiel.

What are they looking for? Individual and group volunteers aged 16 and up, for food packaging and distribution inside the distribution center. Volunteering in food packaging includes packing dry food products, fruits and vegetables. Volunteering in food distribution includes arriving at the center, splitting to distribution stations, and handing out packed food to the aid recipients.

When? The volunteering is one-time or long-term, and takes place on different days and times.

To register: On the website

Sharon

Who? Association "Herzliya Volunteers" – The association runs a project that supplies food baskets to needy families, in coordination with the municipal welfare department.

Where? Herzliya.

What are they looking for? Volunteers aged 18 and up to assist in packaging and distributing food baskets to needy families, Holocaust survivors and the needy. The volunteering includes arriving at the food distribution shelter, and assisting in packaging the parcels and distributing them (distribution is for vehicle owners).

When? Volunteering takes place on Thursdays, between the hours of 12:00–16:00 for packaging, and between 16:00–19:00 for distribution. The volunteering is one-time or long-term.

To register: On the website

Shfela

Who? Association "Chasdei Irit" – The association carries out distribution of food packages to needy families, and provides assistance with equipment for low-income populations.

Where? Youth village Givat Washington (Hof Yavne Regional Council).

What are they looking for? Individual and group volunteers (no age limit), to help in food packaging for the needy. The volunteering includes arriving at the association’s warehouse and helping to pack dry food, fruits and vegetables for 500 needy families.

When? The volunteering is one-time or long-term and takes place on Wednesdays, at varying hours.

To register: On the website

Volunteers packing food (Photo: Eli Dasa)

Who? Association "Chasdei Irit" – The association carries out distribution of food packages to needy families, and provides assistance with equipment for low-income populations.

Where? Youth village Givat Washington (Hof Yavne Regional Council).

What are they looking for? Volunteers aged 16 and up, with a vehicle, to assist in distributing food to the needy. The volunteering includes arriving at the association’s warehouse, receiving a list of addresses for food package distribution and dispersing them in the area of Ashdod, Yavne, Gan Yavne, Rehovot and Gedera.

When? The volunteering is one-time or long-term and takes place on Wednesdays, at varying hours.

To register: On the website

North

Who? "Lev Chabad: Chesed and Healing" – A department of Chabad Youth that works with hospitalized and recovering patients and their families throughout the country, providing them with assistance, support and help for body and soul.

Where? Haifa.

What are they looking for? Volunteers aged 21–50 to operate kindness carts at Rambam Medical Center. The volunteering includes arriving at the hospital and operating the carts, on which there is a luxury coffee machine, homemade cakes, hot and cold drinks and more.

When? The volunteering takes place Sunday–Thursday between 9:00–22:00, and on Fridays between 9:00–14:00. The volunteering is long-term, and there is a commitment of at least half a year.

To register: On the website

All over the country

Who? The operations center of the movement "The Fourth Quarter" – The largest civic movement in Israel that operates a variety of emergency volunteering activities.

Where? All over the country.

What are they looking for? Individual and group volunteers (no age limit) to respond to immediate needs and attend concentrated volunteering days. Volunteering includes clearing debris, rehabilitating shelters, donating clothes and food, responding to reserve units and their families, and more.

When? The volunteering is one-time or long-term, and takes place at changing times (notified in advance).

To register: On the website

Volunteers of "The Fourth Quarter" renovating houses damaged in the war in Ofakim (Photo: Hertzel Yosef)

Who? Association "Israel-is" – The largest civilian advocacy association in Israel, founded in 2017 by veterans of elite IDF units. The association has trained more than 130,000 young ambassadors representing Israel around the world. As part of the "Survived to Tell" initiative (more than 120,000 followers on Instagram), dozens of survivor delegations were sent to campuses in the U.S. and Europe to share their stories.

Where? From home

What are they looking for? Volunteers, partners and supporters (no age limit) to take part in the association’s advocacy efforts. The volunteering includes activity on the frontlines of international advocacy, joint conversations with Iranian citizens, public guidance for improving Israel’s image, and activity in the international arena following the campaign against Iran.

When? The volunteering is one-time or long-term, and takes place at changing times.

To register: Through the Instagram page or the website. link

Gaza and the South

GHF says it’s opened 4 aid centers in Gaza, distributing record number of meals
Palestinians carry bags containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The US- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid initiative continues to expand, opening four sites and reaching the highest daily number of meals distributed to date.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it has distributed over 3.1 million meals in 55,000 boxes.
The Khan Younis site in the southern Gaza Strip provided the most meals today.
Three American contractors working with the GHF suffered concussions during Iranian strikes on Israel last night, says the organization.

IDF says some troops pulled out of Gaza, redeployed along Egypt and Jordan borders
The IDF has drawn down forces from the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, and has instead bolstered the borders with Egypt and Jordan.
According to the military, four IDF divisions are currently operating in Gaza, after the 98th Division, an elite formation of paratroopers and commando units, was taken out of Khan Younis and sent elsewhere as the Iran conflict began. Still, tens of thousands of troops are operating in the Strip.
The IDF says that during the conflict in Iran, it has continued to eliminate Hamas operatives in Gaza, destroy terror infrastructure, including tunnels, and boost its defenses along the border with the Strip.
Meanwhile, the IDF say, it has triple the usual number of forces on the Jordanian border. The IDF in recent days deployed the newly formed 96th “Gilad” Division to the northern portion of the Jordan border, while the 80th “Edom” Divison has bolstered the southern section.
The 80th Division has also bolstered troops along the border with Egypt.
In northern Israel, the IDF says it continues to defend against potential threats from Lebanon and Syria.

Troops seal off Khan Younis tunnel under hospital where Hamas boss was killed
A Hamas tunnel that ran underneath the European Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, where the terror group’s leader Muhammed Sinwar was killed in a strike, has been sealed with concrete, the military says.
The IDF says that after scanning the tunnel, and recovering the bodies of Sinwar and other senior Hamas military wing commanders, it pumped 250 cubic meters of concrete into the underground passages, sealing it shut.
The IDF did not blow up the tunnel as it does with many others in Gaza, because that would have damaged the medical center above it.
The military says its actions in the area, including the strike on May 13 that killed Sinwar and the Hamas commanders, were “carried out in a pinpoint and precise manner, while avoiding damage to the hospital building.” video of cement flowing in the tunnel

Gazan reports claim dozens killed outside Khan Younis aid site
Media outlets in Gaza report that dozens of people were killed and others wounded east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip while waiting to receive humanitarian aid.
Conflicting reports place the number of fatalities between 20 and 50.
No visual documentation of the incident has emerged so far.
The reports do not specify if the incident occurred near aid distribution being managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. There have been several reports of shootings resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians trying to reach their sites.
There is no comment from the Israel Defense Forces.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

‘Iran is today’s Nazi threat’: Syrian insider delivers stark warning, urges Israel to embrace opportunity for peace
Mzahem Alsaloum, a survivor of Assad-regime torture, warns that time is running out for Israel to support a new Syrian leadership eager to normalize ties
“My life is about surviving. It has been about surviving, and it still is in Syria,” says Mzahem Alsaloum, seated in an empty room of a Parisian hotel during the ELNET 2025 International Policy Conference. “I’m just like the Jewish ancestors who spent their lives always surviving.” Alsaloum speaks with urgency and precision. A former Syrian intelligence analyst and now director of a global human intelligence firm, he says he is convinced that Syria is facing a new wave of destabilization—this time from the very actors the international community believes have lost ground.

Born in Deir ez-Zur, a city “known for many battles,” Alsaloum describes a proud yet devastated homeland. “My city is the first that not only fought against [former Syrian President Bashar] Assad and Iran and Russia,” he explains. “It also has been under a big, tough siege from both sides: ISIL [the Islamic State group] and the Assad regime.” The consequences, he says, were devastating. “We paid for that by having 95% of my city’s population [as] refugees or displaced people.”

Pressed about the personal toll, Alsaloum responds without hesitation. “My brother was tortured to death by a jihadi group. He was tortured for 11 days to death. And I survived torture from the Assad regime.”

That trauma nearly consumed him. “I was going through the trauma of my brother’s death, and I wanted to do something crazy that would lead to killing me, to take my revenge,” he recalls. “The first Jew I met in my life was a rabbi. … He told me, ‘You have to learn how to survive. Your problem is that you want to carry the weight of all of Syria on your shoulders.’”

“It took me a year and a half to recognize that,” he admits. “Then I got more and more involved in the career that I’m doing right now.”

Assad forces in Deir ez-Zur, 2017
(Photo: AP)

Still, Alsaloum insists the violence was not part of an orchestrated campaign of ethnic cleansing. “Despite that 14,000 armed men went there, there was no ethnic cleansing [due to] the number of civilians that were killed, 100 to 200, and the most important fact: It wasn’t systematic.”

He also accuses various groups of spreading falsehoods to manipulate public perception. “We have seen three types of propaganda and misinformation campaigns. They were conducted by Iranian people, SDF [the Syrian Democratic Forces], and PKK, and a third type, unfortunately: far-right Israeli people who were participating in publishing such propaganda.”

On Syria’s new leadership under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Alsaloum expresses cautious optimism. “They have the will and the intention to rebuild the country. And they’re building the country under the rules of peace. … Let’s make peace in the region and let’s rebuild the country.”

“They want to sign … the Syrian-Israeli version of the Abraham Accords,” he adds. “Even people with an Islamist background … will tell you, ‘Yeah, we are very keen to make peace with Israel.’”

Still, he says, that enthusiasm faded in recent months. “When people saw the current administration, the current government in Israel … doing mistakes that are pushed by the trauma of the October 7 terrorist attack, this has made a lot of people take a step back and say, ‘Whatever we do for them, they will never be pleased.’”

That frustration, he adds, has been exploited by extremist groups. “We have seen propaganda coming from ISIL, saying, the Jews, whatever you will do for them, even if you join their club and provide concessions, they will not please you. And Iran and its proxies have also used that in their propaganda.”

Despite the growing resentment, Alsaloum says Syria’s leadership remains committed to building peace. “The motivation [of the Syrian president] is that he wants to build a country based on the understanding that you cannot build a developed country in this region without having peace with Israel.”

Speaking on Iran’s role in the region, Alsaloum draws a chilling analogy. “It’s the same as if you tell the Jewish people, after releasing them from Auschwitz … what do you think about being tolerant with Hitler, with the Nazis? The case in Syria, about Iran, is like that right now.”

He also questions Israel’s current alignment. “Right now … under this policy of protecting minorities, Israel is supporting groups that they were historically Iranian assets. … We are repeating the October 7 scenario.”

Those alliances, he warns, could backfire. “They will equip [themselves] … and those groups, they will have only Iran backing them again and using them again to attack Israel and to attack the new Syria.”

He concludes with a reflection on history, legacy and opportunity. “The first generation of the Israeli leadership was able to build a greater brand … because they believed in that pain, because they lived part of it during the Holocaust.”

“It took them 33 years … to tell the world that Israel is a strong ally … but it takes 33 months only to destroy a brand,” he warns. “You have lost six months of this potential right now. You still have 27 months.”

“So my advice to you is that take advantage of this potential. Meanwhile, keep fighting against terrorists, don’t show them tolerance. But take the potential of Syria.” link

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

Politics and the War and General News

Do your job: Gantz slams Regev for telling stranded Israelis to enjoy themselves
National Unity chairman Benny Gantz slams Transportation Minister Miri Regev (Likud), after she tells citizens stuck abroad due to the closure of Israeli airspace to “enjoy their stay abroad as much as they can.”
“Minister Regev, an elderly woman waiting for surgery; a young woman whose husband died in the war traveled for a few days and left a 4-year-old child in Israel; these are just two cases out of thousands of stories of people who need to return home,” Gantz tweets.
“Your job and that of the government is not to tell them what to do but to get them home safely.”
Earlier on Monday, Regev announced that Israel was working on an operation to safely return the more than 100,000 Israelis stuck abroad, but it will take time.
Regev asked Israelis stranded outside the country’s borders not to “panic and enjoy their stay abroad as much as they can.” link. Miri Regev, one of the worst Transportation Ministers in the history of Israel, like most of this failed government is so removed from the reality that the Israeli public lives and have been removed from our reality since the beginning of the war. Why should we expect anything different from this failed minister who is constantly out of the country on travel junkets at the expense of the tax payers?

Ben Gvir says police hunting down anyone filming missile strike locations, celebrating Iran - this is where the criminal minister of internal 'insecurity' in charge of the police puts his energy, not in fighting growing crime, not in fighting the exponential jump in homicides in the Arab sector since he became minister, not in fighting, preventing or arresting Jewish terror against Palestinians.

The Region and the World

Personal Stories

'I lost the most beautiful flowers of my life,' father mourns family killed in Iran strike

Grieving father Raja Khatib lost his wife, two daughters and a relative when an Iranian missile struck the town of Tamra early Sunday; as search teams continue looking for the missing, he pleads for the war to end, saying, 'we civilians are paying the price'
"I lost the most beautiful flowers of my life," Raja Khatib, who lost four family members in the Iranian missile strike on Tamra in the early hours of Sunday, told Ynet.

His wife, Manar Al-Qasem Abu Al-Heija Khatib, 45, and his two daughters, Hala, 13, and Shada, 20, as well as their relative, Manar Diab Khatib, 41, the wife of Raja's brother, Ihab, were pulled from the rubble lifless by rescuers.

"I lost an amazing wife who was everything to me," Raja said. "Everything was destroyed in seconds."

Raja, an attorney by trade, described Manar as "a teacher, successful and a wonderful woman who raised the children in the best way possible. Just a week ago, we were on a trip abroad, enjoying ourselves, and yesterday, unfortunately, that happiness turned into tragedy and pain." He recounted: "I entered the house and went up to the second floor, and then the missile struck. I managed to save my daughter Razan and tried to save Manar, Hala and Shada, but I couldn't." With pain emanating from his voice, Raja added, "I never imagined I would be left with just one child. It won’t be easy to recover. My daughter and I need treatment before we can even begin to process this horrifying loss. What is needed now is to stop the war everywhere, because we civilians are paying the price."

Ihab, Raja’s brother, said that his wife was also a teacher: "She was a professional and honest educator, and everyone loved her. I always heard positive and joyful comments about her, and sadly, everything was destroyed in seconds. I lost an amazing wife who was everything to me."

Raja, the grieving father, and Ihab Khatib

He described how, "15 minutes before the sirens, Manar called me and told me something was about to happen. A few minutes later, a missile hit, and my family informed me that my wife had been killed. It’s hard to put into words the love I had for my dear wife. She will always remain in my heart. I demand that the war stop so we can continue living in peace without risking our lives. We don't want to lose more people."

Hours after the deadly missile explosion in Tamra, six people were killed in a direct hit on a residential high-rise in Bat Yam in central Israel. The Bat Yam strike claimed the lives of a 10-year-old boy, an 8-year-old girl, three women in their 50s, 60s and 80s and a young man around 18. More than 100 others were wounded. Numerous neighboring buildings also sustained damage. Home Front Command teams are still searching the area for several people reported missing. link

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

IPS - Israel Prison System

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission

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